Wood River times. [volume] (Hailey, Idaho) 1882-1915, 1887-11-12


woro an Immense collar and his head
stood in this like an ugly flower with q
white corolla about it, He had fair
complexion, quick rowing eyes, and no ono
met him without falling IN love with hiul.
speaking Of Clay's collar reminds me
OF my first picture Of Abraham Lincoln.
I took it just after his election when he
passed through Kew York on his way to
Washington. l was not pleased with the
prospects Of n good picture when | saw
him. He was 50 tall, gaunt and angular
that / knew it would be hard to get a
natural picture. His neck was very long,
and when got him before the camera I
asked him if l might not arrange his col
lar, which was just rs much too little az
Henry Cl9y's was too big. With that
began to pull the collar upward, and rs
did SO President Lincoln said: 'Ah! / SEQ
you want to shorten my neck THAT il
just what l am trying to do l rcrlied,
and we both laughed. The picture had u
wide sale, and Lincoln aftcrward spoke Of
ne as the man who first introduce lin
to the people.
~ have taken ell the presidents since
Andrew JACKSON" Professor Grady went
on. 81 took Jacison's picture at the
Hermitage just before he died, and / cot
Grant and his cabinet during their admin.
istratiOn. My first picture Of Grant was
taken when he came to Washington as
general. Few people at the capital knew
him, and went down with the newspaper
men to identify the great soldier for them
l had seen his picture, but had not seen
the man. There were no officials present
to receive him, and got carriage and
we rode down Pennsylvania avenue to-
gether. During the ride got a promise
from him that he would come the next
day and allow me to Photograph him.
He did not come until 1870, and the light
was 50 bad that I feared could not get
good picture. Secretary Stanton came
with him. and the Photographic establish
ncnt was much excited at the arrival CT
the two. We took half Il dozen different
cameras and trained them upon Grant in
order to get rs nuoh as we could out of
the fast fading light | sent German
assistant up 10 the Roof to pull back the
skylight to its full length, but the nan
was SO nervous in tho presence
of Grant and SO frightened ut
the prospect of losing tho picture
altogether that lie stumbled ON tho sky
liTlit, broke it rad Enoc';cd immense
pieces of plate glass Gown to the room lc-
low. The distance vc3 considerable, cul
had any r.cn been struck with c,a CT
t,:csc pieces CT clcs3 10 would have been
Ell!cl All il thc Gallery made cxcl@l,a-
tons and Fed blcl; to Tho walls Ct tie
r2Crl except Cen. Grant. lie did not
move frolA his position, and with the c.
c2pton Of a Gatirical smile his features
did net change, | shall never forget lis
comroSure nor his face as it looked that
day"
This incident" IIr. Grady went on,
"rccal3 one il connection with Senator
Benton, whose photograph took in New
York. Benton was, you know, full Of
vanity. He vas tail and pondcrous, and
as he stamped ccross my studio q biz
paper sh-de, which was lying horizontally
above, tel iDl struck him so that his
head went through it like rider jump
ing through the Paper hoops in q circus
Gcd the s..2Go caught upon his shoulders
Ills head looked like that Of John the
BAPTIST On a charger. Benton was
frightened at Crst, EuC when he saw that
ho was not injurld he laughed heartily
and It for LIS rcture.'
who was tao greatest man you have
ever photographer"
That is hard to say, but the man who
impressed me most vas Daniel Webster.
Jenny Lind said, you know, when she saw
Webster, that she felt she had seen u man:
and Webster, who first heard her sing ut
Washington, rose ma jcstically at the close
Of her first song and made an imposing
bow to her, which was the signal for en-
thusiastic applause My first meeting
with Webster was on broadway. l did
not know him. but was so struck with
his form and features that followed him
asking every one l met who lie was. A
few years altcrWard | Dcc2mc GcQuaintei
with him, and took lis picture several
iy,Nl 10 NJ ,,,A,1
ely, physically aud physioGnomic"lly.
He hal grave, noble, dignincd face:
large, piercing, dark eyes, full of lu5tcr,
and II broad, high, full forehead. His
face stood tire scrutiny Of the camera
well, aud be was pleasant man to
meet"
Il see that Charles Dickens son Is in
tais country. DID you ever take his faith
eg'a r.c,ure:"
NO, but knew him, cnd tried to or
RANGE to have him lecture in America
under my management. This wa3 shortly
after he had written tic American
Notes which made lin so unpopular
Dickens feared he might he rloJbc il lie
camc 10 the United States, but Horace
Greeley joined with me in pressing Liza
10 cclnc, and ccsCrcd Kim he roull lie
WCll treated IhCl lis troubles With lis
II
Ing Il lawsuit. The matter was put OF
until the war broke out and lie could rot
come. Some years later, when he did
visit tic United States, net lin ct u
dinner ut DelInon!coG and ! was much
pleased with him. l did not Photograph
linn because lie had cast iron contract
with a London photographer who sold his
photographs, and who had contracted to
take all Ais pictures"
''Speaking Of literary men, took I'd
gar A. Poe about forty years ago, when lie
was editing newspaper in New York.
lie had come IN with Il friend who wanted
daGuerreotype taken, and he looked
both sad and seedy. His coat was thread
bare and shiny, and it was tightly but
toned across his lean form and up about
his threat. There was not shred of
linen visible, and ii you will notice the
pictures which have been published you
VIII note that no linen is to TO seen. If
he Lad II shirt ON he did not show it, aud
his throat was wrapped around in swath
Of black necktic, which, Ike his coat, was
seedy ard fun Of wrinkles. knew who
be was and asked him If lie would not
have his picture taken. lie shock his
locEs and said No, no. l ted him there
would lc no charge, and finally persuaded
him to take his stand before tie camera.
Il have also taken FcniInoic Cooper,